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The Membership Relations Committee is happy to showcase some ArkGeo Geocachers through the "Geocacher Profile". The committee thought lauracricket aka Laura Neale should be the next cacher to be in the spotlight.

What is your geocaching name?

lauracricket

How did you choose your handle?

Laura is my given name & Cricket is my nickname from college because there were 2 lauras in my dorm room & I was the nocturnal one.
How long have you been geocaching?
I started in 2013, found one cache, then somehow forgot about it until a friend took me to find my second one exactly a year & two days later.
How did you find your first Geocache, and which one was it?
My first find was GC4FP93. It was near where I worked at the time, so I took a lunch-hour walk over to see what it was all about. The title was a pun, so I found it pretty quickly.
Who usually goes with you when you go caching?
Ususally I go by myself, though I love to bring one or both dogs along when I can. Sometimes, I cache with my mom, mamaperi.
How long will you work on puzzle caches before you give up?
Depends on the puzzle. I've certainly had nemesis puzzles that I kept at for months.
What town/areas have you most enjoyed caching in?
The majority of my caching has been done in & around Little Rock, since I don't get to travel much. But I like good trailside caches & am fond of cemetery caches.
Do you do paperless caching?
I had to look up what that is. Yes, almost exclusively. I don't have the real hardcore equipment, I just use my smartphone's GPS.
What kind of geocaching rig do you use?
Google Pixel 2
Why would you recommend anyone else to take up geocaching?
Besides the fact that it's just so darn fun, it often gives you a unique perspective on places. I've lived in Little Rock for most of my life, but I'd never really properly explored it till geocaching. It's shown me so many interstices & points of interest that I'd missed before & has deepened my knowledge of & appreciation for my home city. And when I travel, geocaching gives me access to what is essentially a hidden database of local lore & recommendations. It's fascinating!

Where are you originally from?

I was born in Tennessee, but I consider myself an Arkansan.
In what states have you geocached?
Only 8 so far: AR, TN, MS, MO, AL, MD, GA, & VA.
What was your first event ever attended?
GC66HJD: December 2015 C.A.G.E. Meet, Greet, & Eat
How many caches have you found?
As of today, 723.
Which type of cache container do you prefer over the rest?
Love medium sized ones. They're small enough to hide almost anywhere when camouflaged well, but big enough to hold TBs & trade items.
What was the most famous cache that you have found?
The one with the most favorites was a webcam cache that's been around since 2005: GCMF4B
Do you use disposable batteries or rechargeable batteries?
I mean, there's a rechargable battery in my phone. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Do you enjoy hiding or finding more as your part of the hobby?
Both, of course! With finding, there's an instant gratification kind of thrill. Hiding, the delayed gratification kicks in with those random but satisfying find log notifications.
Do you have a personal goal in mind when you make a hide?
I like to contribute my little store of local knowledge to the map, and I try to give my containers a creative, personal touch.
What is your favorite type of cache hide?
I really enjoy a well-camouflaged, hidden-in-plain-sight small or medium container.
Out of all your hides, what are your personal favorites that you take pride in?
My most popular hide is GC6P7VJ, by my personal favorite is GC72N8Y.
What do you think the proper hide to find ratio should be to keep the sport fresh?
Oh, I have no idea. Maybe 1:100?? Quality over quantity.

How did you end up getting into this wacky hobby?

I first found out about it from a friend & it became part of my life after I moved back home from China & decided I needed a bit more variety in my day-to-day.

What's your favorite geocache?
Oooh, tough question. Really loved GC4QPMZ. GC78412 is very creative. GC44JJ2 was fun. GC408XQ was a fun puzzle. The scenery at GC14N05 blew me away.
If money was no object, where would you like to go geocaching?
New Zealand, Madagascar, or Iceland...
Do you like geocaching by yourself or in a group?
Both. I mostly go on my own, but I've met some fun people to search with too.
How many First to Finds do you have?
Just 5 so far.
Are you a First to Find person who is always set on go and if so, how many miles out do you have your settings on to get notifications?
Sadly not, my job doesn't really allow for me to take off at a moment's notice. Off the clock, though, it's on.
Do you have any other hobbies besides geocaching?

I like being outdoors. I'm always looking up this plant or that bug & sort of consider myself kind of an amateur naturalist. In addition to caches, I also hunt graffiti & street art.

The Membership Relations Committee is happy to showcase some ArkGeo Geocachers through the "Geocacher Profile". The committee thought jdpc3 aka Jennifer and Danny Volpert should be the next cacher to be in the spotlight.

How long have you been geocaching?Since March of 2013. Before we met, Danny had found a few, way back when caching was new, and you spent all day looking for one cache out in the middle of nowhere! He never had a caching name or logged them anywhere though.

How did you find your first Geocache, and which one was it?Black Hawk Down (GC2B6QT) We don't remember how it came up, but Danny mentioned that he had done some geocaching (old school) back when caching was fairly new. I was interested, so he plugged some coordinates into his GPS unit and took me out to find one of his previous finds. I got to the GZ okay but was literally standing next to the container and didn't see it. He finally had to point it out to me! I was hooked from there.

Who usually goes with you when you go caching?It's just the two of us now. The kids are grown and married, or living on their own.

How long will you work on puzzle caches before you give up?We don't do a lot of puzzle caches but if we do, it has to be an easy one! We give up too easily!

What town/areas have you most enjoyed caching in?We most enjoy caching on our travels and vacations. That may be an ammo can on Mt. Magazine or a virtual in the Grand Canyon! Interesting places along our route or a cache that takes us to an out of the way place.

Do you do paperless caching?Yep!

What kind of geocaching rig do you use? We use our 2016 Subaru Forester and our two Android devices. We also have an old, old GPS unit that we use when we're out and have no cell service.

Why would you recommend anyone else to take up geocaching?It's fun for everyone. Singles, couples, kids, families, groups...all skill levels. It doesn't cost much, you can do it on your own time, and caches are everywhere!

Where are you originally from?Both from Little Rock. We actually grew up on the same street as kids but never knew each other.

In what states have you geocached?We have cached in 19 states. Also have 2 finds in Canada and 1 in Dominican Republic.

What was your first event ever attended? Jacksonville Meet n Greet at Emily's Diner hosted by Butch724 back in August of 2013.

How many caches have you found? 1,027

Which type of cache container do you prefer over the rest?Ammo can in the woods. We also like caches in interesting places or near historical landmarks.

What was the most famous cache that you have found? Gorilla Stash (GC1B)

Do you use disposable batteries or rechargeable batteries? Mostly use cell phones, but we use disposable batteries in our old GPS unit.

Do you enjoy hiding or finding more as your part of the hobby? Definitely finding!

Do you have a personal goal in mind when you make a hide?So far, our hides are in the parks around Sherwood and easy to find. We wanted them to be fun for families/kids... and hopefully an intro to Geocaching. They're also great for the avid cacher who needs a quick lunch break find.

What is your favorite type of cache hide?One that's in a cool location or has a cool container. Found one over on an island on Lake Ouachita that had a rubber snake near the container, scared the crap out of us and we talked about if all day long!

Out of all your hides, what are your personal favorites that you take pride in?We really loved placing our river caches. But, they were hard to maintain and didn't have a lot of activity, so we archived them.

What do you think the proper hide to find ratio should be to keep the sport fresh?Not sure about this. But we think you should only hide what you can maintain. Luckily, geocaching has those that love hiding more than finding. And they're good at it!

How did you end up getting into this wacky hobby?Danny first, then he introduced it to me.

What's your favorite geocache? Field and Stream (GC46GTZ), we went back three times before we finally got this one. Even met the CO on one of our attempts. He had just performed maintenance and said it WAS there and all was good. When we finally found it - Mind blown!! PCC Maverick (GC40W0W) was also a good one! We looked and looked all over the place before we got this one - Wow!

If money was no object, where would you like to go geocaching? Germany

Do you like geocaching by yourself or in a group? Either is great.

How many First to Finds do you have? One. We just lucked into it!

Are you a First to Find person who is always set on go and if so, how many miles out do you have your settings on to get notifications? No.

Do you have any other hobbies besides geocaching?Camping, snorkeling, traveling, and spending time with our four grandkids. Can't wait for them to be old enough to enjoy caching with us.

The Membership Relations Committee is happy to showcase some ArkGeo Geocachers through the "Geocacher Profile". The committee thought tipnwife aka Chuck and Rachael Veregge should be the next cacher to be in the spotlight.

What is your geocaching name?
TIPNWIFE How did you choose your handle? IT'S PART ME AND PART MY WIFE. WHEN I WAITED TABLES, MY NICKNAME WAS TIPTHAWAITER. I STARTED WITH THAT BUT THEN THE WIFE JOINED IN AND WE CHANGED IT. How long have you been geocaching? MARCH 13, 2015

How did you find your first Geocache, and which one was it?
WE WERE IN MURRAY, KENTUCKY FOR OUR NIECE'S BIRTHDAY. IT WAS ALSO A FAMILY REUNION OF SORTS AS RACHAEL'S DAD HAD TERMINAL CANCER. SOME COUSINS HAD ALREADY BEEN GEOCACHING AND INVITED ME ALONG WITH THEM. WE DID NIGHT GEOCACHING. MY FIRST CACHE LOOKS LIKE IT HAS BEEN ARCHIVED, BUT GC2W0P1 WAS THE FIRST ONE WE LOGGED THAT IS STILL ACTIVE

Who usually goes with you when you go caching?
TIP = CHUCK; WIFE = RACHAEL

How long will you work on puzzle caches before you give up?
IT DEPENDS, 30 MINUTES IF IT'S EARLY IN THE DAY THAT WE ARE GEOCACHING. 5 MINUTES IF WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN OUT AND ABOUT.

What town/areas have you most enjoyed caching in?
CEMETERIES

Do you do paperless caching?
WE HAVE DONE SOME VIRTUAL CACHES.

What kind of geocaching rig do you use? GENERALLY WE ARE IN TIP'S JEEP RENEGADE, ORANGEJELLO. HOWEVER, WE HAVE YET TO TAKE RACHAEL'S NEW TO HER SUBARU CROSSTREK, SUE BEA, OUT TO SEARCH FOR CACHES

Why would you recommend anyone else to take up geocaching?
GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, ITS FUN, ITS COOL TO SEE PLACES YOU WOULDN'T ORDINARILY THINK OF GOING TO. LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE!

In what states have you geocached?
MINNESOTA, NORTH CAROLINA, ARIZONA, INDIANA, ILLINOIS, MISSOURI, KENTUCKY, TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, GEORGIA, FLORIDA, ALABAMA, MISSISSIPPI, LOUISIANA, ARKANSAS, TENNESSEE, COUNTRIES = USA, MEXICO What was your first event ever attended?
IT WAS A MEET & GREET & EAT AT GUS'S BACK IN THE SUMMER OF 2015. OUR COUSINS WHO GOT US INTO GEOCACHING INVITED US. THEY HAVE SINCE DROPPED OUT WHILE WE HAVE KEPT THE ADVENTURE GOING.

How many caches have you found?
681

Which type of cache container do you prefer over the rest?
RACHAEL PREFERS THE AMMO CANS; TIP PREFERS PUZZLE BOXES

What was the most famous cache that you have found?
WE ARE NOT SURE.

Do you use disposable batteries or rechargeable batteries?
BOTH

Do you enjoy hiding or finding more as your part of the hobby? WE HAVE NOT HIDDEN A CACHE YET.

Do you have a personal goal in mind when you make a hide?
TO MAKE OUR FIRST HIDE!

What is your favorite type of cache hide?
WE DON'T HAVE ONE YET

Out of all your hides, what are your personal favorites that you take pride in?
NA

What do you think the proper hide to find ratio should be to keep the sport fresh?
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE GIFTED AT HIDING THAN FINDING. AND OTHERS WHO ARE MORE GIFTED AT FINDING THAN HIDING.

How did you end up getting into this wacky hobby?
OUR COUSINS GOT US INTO THIS. WE STAYED FOR THE ADVENTURES.

What's your favorite geocache?
WE ENJOYED THE ONES BY sduke91757 BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL SO UNIQUE AND CHALLENGING.

If money was no object, where would you like to go geocaching?
ALL THE CONTINENTS.

Do you like geocaching by yourself or in a group?
SMALL GROUPS OF 3 OR 4 PEOPLE. SMALL ENOUGH TO FIND THE CACHE QUICKLY AND NOT DRAW TOO MUCH ATTENTION.

How many First to Finds do you have? NOT AS MANY AS WE WOULD LIKE, ONLY TWO OR THREE.

Are you a First to Find person who is always set on go and if so, how many miles out do you have your settings on to get notifications?
NO.

The Membership Relations Committee is happy to showcase some ArkGeo Geocachers through the "Geocacher Profile". The committee thought Bronco's Girl aka Sharon Johnson should be the next cacher to be in the spotlight.

What is your geocaching name? Bronco's Girl

How did you choose your handle? Well, my husband and I started geocaching together with the name of Bronco46. When I decided that I wanted my own geocaching account, together we came up with the name of Bronco's Girl for me.

How long have you been geocaching? With my husband Charlie, since January 2, 2008. Then I established my own account on June 27, 2009.

How did you find your first Geocache, and which one was it? Our son, Pudn, from Alabama told us about this activity in late 2007 and Bronco46 and I found our first cache together in 2008 but I found my first geocache (now archived) on June 27, 2009, and it was exciting to begin my adventure as a single cacher, if needed, while my husband was at work.

Who usually goes with you when you go caching? My husband Charlie, better known as Bronco46. Occasionally plsellers travels and looks for caches with us. Sometimes, just plsellers and I cache as a duo.

How long will you work on puzzle caches before you give up? I normally do not give up on puzzle caches. I like a challenge and Bronco46 and I will work for days, if necessary, to figure out the puzzle. Occasionally, we need a nudge from the cache owner or another caching friend to help us get started, but then we do not want any help. We want to see if we can persevere and figure out the answer for ourselves.

What town/areas have you most enjoyed caching in?I do not have a favorite area, but I enjoy caching in Texarkana, Hot Springs, Union County, Tuscaloosa (Alabama), and in northern Louisiana because we have a lot of caching friends there.

Do you do paperless caching? Normally, no.

What kind of geocaching rig do you use? My preference is my Garmin GPSmap 62s. Secondary is my I-phone.

Why would you recommend anyone else to take up geocaching? It keeps one from being a couch potato. You meet so many wonderful cachers at the events or on the geotrail, and my favorite part of caching is seeing so many different things in God's beautiful world that I would never have seen if my geocaching searches had not taken me there. I try to document a lot of what I see with photographs. That is why you currently will find 5,053 photos in my gallery.

Where are you originally from? Born in El Dorado, Arkansas. But graduated from Norphlet High School because I lived in that area while in school

In what states have you geocached? In all the states contiguous to Arkansas (Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana). I have also cached in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Pennsylvania. My father was born in Pennsylvania and I like to go back there every few years.

What was your first event ever attended? It was one of allenearl58's Fired Up for Geocaching events in Smackover on 9/03/2009 (GC1RJG7). I had such a great time in spite of the heat. I loved meeting so many cachers and learn about them and seeing so many trackable items. It was so great that I posted 61 photos! I was hooked and made sure that I attended this great annual event every year until there was no one to host it anymore.

How many caches have you found? As of the end of October I have found 2,929 caches, which includes me attending about 67 events. I look forward to finding my milestone number of 3,000 soon but that number will be hard to achieve before the end of the year unless Bronco46 can stay out of the deer woods long enough to take me caching. I imagine plsellers would be pleased for us to go caching and help me obtain that milestone.

Which type of cache container do you prefer over the rest? Medium-sized ones that are large enough to put a trackable in but are small enough to be well hidden. Just a small pint-sized lock-n-lock will do for me.

What was the most famous cache that you have found? I do not recall a famous cache that I have found but I remember finding some very clever ones and meaningful ones.

Do you use disposable batteries or rechargeable batteries? It is funny that you asked about batteries. Bronco46 and I use disposable batteries all year long and almost every one of them was previously used in one of his deer feeders. At the end of deer season he sacks up all the half-life batteries and puts them in the cachemobile for us to use during the next 12 months.

Do you enjoy hiding or finding more as your part of the hobby? I definitely enjoy finding caches more than hiding them. I love to see where and how other people hide caches.

Do you have a personal goal in mind when you make a hide? Yes, usually to bring attention to something. Also, I might hide a new cache or two when there is an event in this area so it will be a drawing card for those who had previously found all the caches near the event.

What is your favorite type of cache hide? I prefer traditional cache hides, ones that children will enjoy finding.

Out of all your hides, what are your personal favorites that you take pride in? I like ones which are hidden inside a fake animal and hidden in the woods, such as Flopsy (GC4HWZH), Mopsy (GC4HWZQ), Tree Frog (GC4NJ04) and Rocky (GC3V9NK).

What do you think the proper hide to find ratio should be to keep the sport fresh? That's a hard question to answer. Maybe one hide for every 100 to 200 finds. Also, I prefer that new cachers do not start hiding caches until they have found about 100 caches, so they will experience a greater variety of containers and ways to hide.

How did you end up getting into this wacky hobby? Our son Pudn introduced us to it.

What's your favorite geocache? I do not have a favorite geocache but I like caches that are hidden in a series and have some meaning for each cache, not just a simple power trail.

If money was no object, where would you like to go geocaching? In every state in the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii.

Do you like geocaching by yourself or in a group? With someone else, of course; and when we have events, I like for several geocachers to get together and hunt together. You get to see their joy when locating a cache.

How many First to Finds do you have? I do not know, but if Bronco46 and I are caching together, we tend to alternate claiming the first to find.

Are you a First to Find person who is always set on go and if so, how many miles out do you have your settings on to get notifications? No, I do not rush out to get a first to find because most of them are too far from my home, and secondly, if there are any new cachers in the area I want to give them the opportunity to get their own First to Find. I think my notification settings is about 50 miles.

Do you have any other hobbies besides geocaching? Yes, I like to take photographs and I love to cook. Usually in the evenings if I am not too busy or tired, I will play a few card games or word games on my I-pad.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts and joys of geocaching with you.Sharon Johnson a/k/a Bronco's Girl

The Membership Relations Committee is happy to showcase some ArkGeo Geocachers through the "Geocacher Profile". The committee thought Kimberly5775 aka Kimberly Pridmore should be the next cacher to be in the spotlight.

What is your geocaching name?Kimberly5775

How did you choose your handle?
I have been using Kimberly5775 as part of my email since high school, so it was the first thing I thought to use. Kimberly, of course, is my first name. The 5775 was the last 4 digits of a phone number from a boyfriend I had in high school...funny I still use it today lol!!!How long have you been geocaching?I started Geocaching July 12, 2016, so a little over 2 years now.How did you find your first Geocache, and which one was it?
I downloaded the Geocaching app on my IPhone and saw there was one close to my house. I loaded the boys in the car and down the road we went. The cache was GC1Z21A, 124 Welcome to Conway County, hidden by Ar-Hick. I didn't know what a baby coke bottle was, so it took me forever to find it because I was picking up all the soda bottle litter that was around! HA HA!!! But I was hooked after that! We drove around that day grabbing the other close ones!Who usually goes with you when you go caching?It depends on who is working and what kind of geocaching trip it will be, but the usual suspects are my husband John, my two boys Layne and Kash, my niece Chloe, and my mom Kay.How long will you work on puzzle caches before you give up?
I usually give up pretty quick, but then that bugs me. I may come back and try to figure it out, but some I just have no clue on how to start.What town/areas have you most enjoyed caching in?I have very much enjoyed finding the state park caches. I also like to cache in old/historical places where I can learn something or see something I may not have ever seen otherwise.Do you do paperless caching?Yes

What kind of geocaching rig do you use?
If its just me, or me and the boys, we are in my Charger. If my husband is able to take us, we are in his Duramax. If my mom drives me, we are in her Jeep.Why would you recommend anyone else to take up geocaching?
It is a great way to spend time with family or friends, while getting some exercise! It is also good for mental health. I suffered with depression after having Kash in February 2016. I was taking meds daily, but I always felt down still and just blah. Once I got out and about with Geocaching, I was able to get off my antidepressants and I started having something to look forward to with my little geocaching trips with the kids and my husband or mom. The people I have met while geocaching have been so welcoming also! Thanks Yall!!Where are you originally from?Jerusalem, AR and still here.In what states have you geocached?
Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana.What was your first event ever attended?
A GIFF Event in 2016, held in Russellville, AR, by Old River Runner.How many caches have you found?
1,070Which type of cache container do you prefer over the rest?
I love Ammo Cans! And its great when there is plenty of swag for the kids to trade!What was the most famous cache that you have found?
I guess that would be GC1B, Gorilla Stash.Do you use disposable batteries or rechargeable batteries?
RechargeableDo you enjoy hiding or finding more as your part of the hobby?
I enjoy both! I love seeing new areas when finding caches, and I love seeing how unique some caches are. It amazes me the work that goes into some caches. As for hiding caches, I like thinking about cachers' reactions when they find my caches, and I can't wait to read about their experiences!Do you have a personal goal in mind when you make a hide?
The goal I had with my first few hides was just to get some caches in my area. I then had the goal of showing people an area they normally wouldn't see. And with one or two of my caches, my goal was to make the cacher laugh, or at least smile about the hide!What is your favorite type of cache hide?I like a good sneaky hide! Out of all your hides, what are your personal favorites that you take pride in?I try to make all of my hides different from each other so a cacher can't say oh that looks like a "Kimberly" hide. But I am guilty of being a copy cat hider. When I see a cache I really like, I hide one like it around here. My top ones of mine that I am proud of are "Ode to Branson", GC74VFP, (a "water" hide that I took the idea from one I found in Branson), "Seymore at the Pit", GC797F0, (a "slithery" idea I got from one I found in Russellville), and "The Old Jerusalem Schoolhouse", GC74M88, (a kinda sneaky hide that I have seen more than a few times, and the fact that it is hidden at the old schoolhouse in my small town).What do you think the proper hide to find ratio should be to keep the sport fresh?I have heard someone say before that they thought newbies should find 100 geocaches before they hid their first one. I can't agree or disagree with that because it really depends on the type of hides one has found. There are many great caches that I have found and the hider hasn't even found 100 caches. If a person can produce a quality hide that they can maintain, then I don't think there is a special ratio.How did you end up getting into this wacky hobby?
When Layne was real young, my sister in law was talking about this game. She said there was something hidden close to my parents on a sign by the bridge and you had to use coordinates to find it. We went and found it just by checking all the signs. I think we may have even signed it. I never really thought about it anymore until Layne was on in school and had Kendall Barton as his music teacher. I had seen his pictures and posts on Facebook about Geocaching and he had wrote on there one day that Geocaching was the original Pokemon Go. That's the day I downloaded the app and the rest is history!!What's your favorite geocache?This is a tough one, because I have many favorites! I guess I'm gonna go with Old River Runner's "Lake Dardanelle Night Cache" (GC3YW75). I like that it is a night cache hidden in a state park near the camping area, and I like the manner in which it is hidden. This is a cache I have taken several people to. Everyone has loved it!If money was no object, where would you like to go geocaching?I know it sounds weird, but I have zero desire to leave the connected United States. Having said that, if I had the money (and I will save it up), I want to completely cache Route 66, staying at all the cheesy motels and eating at all the little diners!Do you like geocaching by yourself or in a group?
Definitely with a group since that's usually how I roll anyways. It's always a race between us and at the end of the day, the winner has the bragging rights as king geocacher!How many First to Finds do you have?
I think around 10. Are you a First to Find person who is always set on go and if so, how many miles out do you have your settings on to get notifications?
I will go after a FTF if its close enough to me. I won't go too far. I think my notification setting is for 40 miles. It is more of a way to let me know there are some new ones the next time I am in that specific area.Do you have any other hobbies besides geocaching?

We are a "car" family, so a hobby for us is to put our classic vehicles in car shows and parades. On my own, I love to scrapbook. I have taken many pictures for my scrapbooks since I have been geocaching!